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La Salle and the discovery of the great West - North Central ...

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1685.] PERPLEXITY OF LA SALLE. 377strange request to l<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> troops, that he "mightfulfil his commission; " that is, that he might set outagainst <strong>the</strong> Spaniards. 1 More than a week passed, agale had set in, <strong>and</strong> nothing was done. Then <strong>La</strong><strong>Salle</strong> wrote again, intimating some doubt as towhe<strong>the</strong>r he was really at one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> mouths <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>Mississippi, <strong>and</strong> saying that, being sure that he hadpassed <strong>the</strong> principalmouth, he was determined to goback to look for it. 2 Meanwhile, Beaujeu was in astate <strong>of</strong> <strong>great</strong> irritation. The wea<strong>the</strong>r was stormy,<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> coast was dangerous.Supplies were scanty;<strong>and</strong> <strong>La</strong> <strong>Salle</strong>'s soldiers, still crowded in <strong>the</strong> " Joly,"were consuming <strong>the</strong> provisions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ship.gave vent to his annoyance, <strong>and</strong> <strong>La</strong> <strong>Salle</strong><strong>the</strong> same strain.Beaujeuretorted inAccording to Joutel, he urged <strong>the</strong> naval comm<strong>and</strong>erto sail back in search <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> river; <strong>and</strong>Beaujeu refused, unless <strong>La</strong> <strong>Salle</strong> should give <strong>the</strong>soldiers provisions. <strong>La</strong> <strong>Salle</strong>, he adds, <strong>of</strong>fered tosupply <strong>the</strong>m with rations for fifteen days; <strong>and</strong>Beaujeu declared this insufficient. There is reason,however, to believe that <strong>the</strong> request was nei<strong>the</strong>rmade by <strong>the</strong> one nor refused by <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r so positivelyas here appears.1 Lettre de <strong>La</strong> <strong>Salle</strong> a Beaujeu, 23 Jan., 1685 (Margry, ii. 536).2 This letter is dated, " De l'eraboucheure d'une riviere que ;'

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